Primary cell cutures - what is this (Jul/13/2006 )

What are primary cell cultures? Are there any secondary or terceary cell cultures?Can anyone give me examples...

Thanks for the reply!

-BioPe-

I know primary cultures as getting tissue from a living organism and growing them as cells in culture. like hippocampal neuronal cultures.

but one can also differentiated some cell lines into neurons.

Secondary cell cultures might b the ones where cells r immortalised and used as cell lines.

Tertiary might bt he ones derived from cell lines. , i am not sure.

-scolix-

This is what my cell culture book says:

"Primary cultures are derived from intact or dissociated tissues or organ fragments. A culture is considered a primary culture until it is subcultured (or passaged), after which it is termed a cell line."